"Power Belongs to God"

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

“For God alone my soul waits in silence; from Him comes my salvation.” With these words the Psalm today opens. Words of waiting, of expectation, of hope. You wait in hope for the fulfillment of what has been promised to you from times past. Great hope abounds for the gifts to come when the One who promised them returns.

And so it is as the people of God in times of old waited for the coming of the promised Messiah. The Lord God had promised to send to them one who would be Immanuel, God with us, the one anointed to save His people from their sins. They waited.

The children of Israel waited, just as children now wait eagerly for the return of their father, even from a short trip. They wait to find out what Father has brought home. Will it be a new doll, or a toy truck, or some tasty treat for supper? Will it be good news, or some unexpected blessing? Children await eagerly the coming of their father, because they have confidence that he will give them all good things, whatever he knows that they need.

Waiting is difficult, but it is made easier by the knowledge that the thing so longed for is of such great joy and worth. For this reason, the people of old waited for the Messiah. They waited for the One who would save them from their sins, the One who would reunite them with their Father in heaven, the One in whom is salvation for all mankind. So likewise, the Church contemplates the mystery of the redemption accomplished on the cross, of which we now await the fulfillment.

The Gospel of which we await the fulfillment is the Gospel of life, the message of love and grace for all mankind. This Gospel frees you from sin and frees you to wait for the Lord to give you His good gifts.

Therefore, David reminds himself, and you, “Trust in Him at all times, O people.” Trust in Him, the Lord God, because He is coming soon, and He will give you all good gifts. “God is a refuge for us.” He delights in giving His gifts to His children, even more perfectly and wonderfully than any human father could give to his children according to the flesh.

Because God delights in giving His gifts, and because He is abundant in blessing toward His children, He invites you whom He has chosen as His own to come before Him and to ask Him as dear children ask their dear father, that you might trust Him to supply your every need of body and soul. The One who is faithful in great things will yet more be faithful in small things, and He will keep your life. Simply trust in your Father to provide for you.

But therein lies the problem for you. Your dear Father invites you to trust in Him for all good things, but you do not. You look around and see nothing, and so you think that He has nothing to give, or that no one is there to give good things to you. Therefore, you yearn and strive to get them for yourself. Rather than trust in the One who is powerful to give good things, you settle for the scraps and garbage you can find yourself.

For, in turning from the God who gives good gifts, you turned toward the powers of this world and the strength of your flesh. You trust in the wisdom of your own mind to choose the right path, even when you have no idea where you are going. You trust in other foolish and sinful men to show you the way, even though they are leading you toward destruction, but no one can see it. You put your trust in princes and rulers, in gold and silver. You “exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator” (Romans 1:25).

Therefore, in holding to these lies, you planted yourself on the path to death. For the message of this world is not of the joy and wonder of creation and life, but of the sorrow of death and destruction.

The prince of this age would have you believe that you hold the powers of life and death in your hands. After all, you simply need a little bit of latex or a pill or a little copper, and you can choose for yourself when the miracle of life will come to pass. Cleaving to your wife and becoming one flesh can happen on your terms, and that union need not be perfected by its producing fruit until you decide that flower should bloom. For the sake of convenience, for the sake of expediency, for the sake of selfishness and lust, you can choose to set aside the command and promise of God and defraud yourself of the blessings God gives. That “be fruitful and multiply stuff” is old-fashioned and out-dated.

And if that creation of life slips from your hand, you can take it back almost as easily, says the serpent. Just take this pill, and that “mistake” will simply slip away. Just come in, lie down, and that “problem” will get sucked down the tube in a few minutes. Why let yourself be inconvenienced for the sake of this little bundle of tissue? You have all kinds of stuff to deal with already. You have too many problems and not enough money. You have too much work and not enough time. You should only have a child that will be wanted, right?

Since you have grown up, and maybe even have grown old, the power of life and death is still firmly in your hands, says the prince of lies. When your life becomes intolerable, when you lose your dignity and your right to do for yourself as you think you ought, you have the right to decide when to close the book. The good death is the death with comfort and honor. Why deprive others of precious time and resources? Why use up the dwindling resources of our society on those who do not contribute meaningfully, or at least economically? The greatest good for the most people is simply to end the sub-optimal lives of those who suffer.

The lies of the devil infect every level of your being, and would have you believe that you hold the keys of life and death. But this is the way that leads only to death. Repent.

“Repent and believe in the Gospel!” Ringing through the hills of Galilee comes this message from the long-awaited Messiah, the Lamb of God, the One by seers foretold. Jesus Christ comes to His people to redeem them, and He proclaims the coming of the kingdom of God into the flesh. Where Christ is, there is the kingdom of God. Where Christ is, there is the salvation of our God. He comes, just as the Father has sent Him, to bring you all good gifts.

He calls you to repent. With David, “pour out your heart before Him.” Confess your sins, and He who is merciful and just will forgive all your sins and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. Turn from your evil ways and turn to the way that leads to life. Heed the call of the Gospel. Repent and believe.

The Holy Spirit has called you by the Word of God. He has shattered your heart of stone and silenced the lies of the devil. He has called you to faith, that you may confess your sins and receive the gracious forgiveness of your Father. The Word of Life is spoken to you, that you may turn and life. Repent and believe; confess and have faith. Know and be certain that, just as surely as Jesus Christ gave Himself over into death on the cross, your sins are forgiven.

There is no sin which is not forgiven. No matter whether it is the slightest of oversights, or the most grievous murder, the Lord of Life is strong to save. He who created all things has chosen to give His Son to die in your place, that all your sins might be forgiven. You can sing with David, “He only is my rock and salvation.” Whether it be preventing a life that could have been, or taking a life just begun, or ending a life not yet finished – these are all sins for which Jesus died. No sin is so great that the blood of Jesus cannot cleanse you from it. Believe the Gospel – your sins are forgiven you.

John Paul II wrote,

The Church, faithfully contemplating the mystery of the Redemption, acknowledges this value with ever new wonder. She feels called to proclaim to the people of all times this "Gospel", the source of invincible hope and true joy for every period of history. The Gospel of God's love for man, the Gospel of the dignity of the person and the Gospel of life are a single and indivisible Gospel. (Evangelium Vitae, <http://www.newadvent.org/library/docs_jp02ev.htm>)

With all boldness and confidence, you can come before your heavenly Father and ask Him for all good gifts. You can come before Him, pour out your heart in repentance, and He will fill you with His forgiveness, life, and salvation. “Power belongs to God” – power to create life, power to forgive sins, power to give you all that you need to support this body and life.

The God who is powerful to save is your Father who is gracious to give. Come before Him with all boldness and confidence, and ask that He give you His gifts. He is faithful; He will do it. Fear, love, and trust in Him above all things. The God who said, “Let there be light,” is able to uphold you at all times, is able to keep you safe in His love, is able to equip you for every good work.

As we remember those whose lives have been ended by needless violence, let us proclaim the power of God and the salvation of God. The God of life is strong to save, and He will not fail to give all good gifts. Carry about in your bodies the death of Jesus, that the life of Jesus may be manifest in you. Sing the praise of Him who died, that all might have life in His name. Repent, believe the Gospel, and rejoice in His salvation.

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.